With Sony’s announcement that it is ending the production of PlayStation discs from January 2028 onwards becoming a major subject of discussion, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has expressed his own opinions on the matter. As caught by Dexerto, Zelnick said that he has a strong preference for digital media due to the convenience it offers.
Along with this, he noted that 90 percent of the company’s game sales tend to be digital copies. “Discs don’t make sense to the consumer. Digital is more convenient. Our sales are 90% digital.” During an earnings call, Zelnick said that digital media is “where the world is going”, and said that discs specifically tend to make less sense for a big game release.
“So in certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, discs just, and note I said discs, don’t really make sense for the consumer. Also, in most instances you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you’re already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It’s all the same, and it’s much more convenient.”
“So that’s where the world is going in our opinion, and I think Sony understands that. We certainly understand that. It doesn’t mean that we won’t have physical editions now and then; I’m sure we will in the same way that there’s still vinyl in the recorded music business. But in other instances, it just won’t make sense.”
Zelnick’s words echo the sentiments of former Valve writer Chet Faliszek, who had spoken about how consumer trends have played a larger role in Sony’s decision to end disc production than any grand conspiracy regarding the ownership of games. He pointed to the fact that digital game sales have risen in large part due to how convenient they tend to be.
“You as consumers are choosing the easiest route to purchase your games. That’s how I do it as well because it’s super easy and convenient. And for that, these companies are changing how they behave. And that’s how the power you chose to use gets expressed back to you.”
For its part, Sony said in its announcement that the decision to end disc production came down to the company wanting to align itself with consumer trends. “This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” said the company. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.”
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has expressed a similar sentiment, saying that the end of physical discs for PlayStation is “no big deal” for Ubisoft. He compared it with the rise of Steam and how it changed the PC market, which is largely dominated by digital sales. “There’s also some pressure for the future on the cost of machines, and being able to play only digital will help to have more accessible machines, I would say. There are pluses and minuses, but we think it will not disturb the industry too much,” said Guillemot during a recent investor call.
